Geography, politics and history have conspired to render 30 million Kurds the largest
stateless people in the Middle East. The Kurds in Iran are believed to number approximately five million. Their situation in Iran is said to be far from stable, with the area in Northwestern Iran which they inhabit being under Iranian government control, in which living conditions are described as primitive, at best). Since April 1993, Iranian government forces have reportedly launched aerial attacks against Iranian Kurds, even those operating inside Iraqi territory, while Iraqi forces made armed incursions into the "protected zone" inside Iraq above the 36th parallel.

Komala (or Komaleh) was founded in 1969, and led by Ibrahim Alizadeh. The name of the party is variously reported to stand for Komala lidni Kurdistan [Council on Rebirth of Kurdistan] or Komalay Shoreshgeri Zahmatkeshani Kurdistani Iran [Organization of Revolutionary Toilers of Iranian Kurdistan]. The group favours autonomy for the Kurds in Iran. It cooperated briefly with the Kurdish Democratic Party of Iran. The group has reportedly waged guerrilla warfare against government forces since 1979 with the aim of achieving Kurdish autonomy, and as of 1992 was said to be primarily active in the Sanandadj region.